In Ezekiel 34:1-6, we saw how wayward the leadership of Israel
was. The wayward kings, princes, judges, priests, as well as prophets, had
failed the Lord and led His people
astray. So, in Ezekiel 34:7-10 God reiterates where the shepherds had failed, before
pronouncing a word of judgment on them.
Instead of leading God’s
people, those wayward leaders would prey on them. God’s flock had become
victims of predators as a result. So, nonchalant were they that they did not
even bother to look out for stray sheep. Not feeding them was bad enough,
what’s worse was that they even dared to rob and defraud them.
In verse 10, God made his opposition to them known. He said, “Behold, I
am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and
make them cease from feeding sheep. So, the shepherds will
not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their
mouth so that they will not be food for them.”
In essence, God was saying that
He held the shepherds accountable for what had happened to His sheep. They
would be removed from their offices so that they could no longer fleece the
sheep. God refused to let them victimize his people. And He would punish the wayward leaders, rescue His scattered sheep, and
bring them safely back.
As leaders, we must take our calling and ministry seriously. Know that
the people under our care are not ours, they are God’s. The Bible is filled
with instructions on what we must do to be a good leader. We must not only feed
the flock but must also love and guard them. Caring must be carried out responsibly
with dedication and commitment.
Alongside developing the sheep, we need also to take
time to develop ourselves. Always be on guard against the temptation of taking
advantage of the sheep. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 that we must diligently
develop ourselves as good workmen and rightly handle the word of
truth.
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